Different types of medical devices, such as needles, introducers, trocars, catheters, stents, angiography balloons, cutting tools, and imaging tools can be introduced into the body for various medical procedures. For example, catheters are used to introduce or remove fluids from vessels in the body for a variety of medical procedures. In a typical procedure, to insert a catheter in a vessel, the vessel access is first verified by aspiration using a long hollow needle, such as a syringe needle. A guidewire is then passed through the needle into the vessel. The guidewire acts as a track for the catheter to pass over to reach a target location within the vessel. A catheter is finally passed over the guidewire to the target location in the vasculature of the patient. With the catheter in place, the needle and the guidewire are removed, leaving only the catheter in the vessel. Fluids are then introduced or removed from the vessel through the catheter by connecting a fluid source or aspiration device to the catheter hub.
Various devices are known for placement of a catheter in the vasculature of a patient. The maintenance of sterility of the various components of the device by, for example, preventing the contact of the fingers of the operator with the various parts of the needle, the guidewire and the catheter itself during operation, is important for use of these devices. However, known catheter placement devices typically require the use of two hands for the insertion of the guide wire and advancement of the catheter into the vasculature, which increases the risk of contamination, increases the risk of inadvertently damaging the vessel due to unintended needle point movement, prevents the continuous use of ultrasound from the point of skin penetration, vessel access, wire guide insertion, through to having the first distal portion of the catheter in the vessel and needle point shielded, and makes the device less convenient for use.
Therefore, a need exists for a novel catheter insertion device that allows for single-handed insertion of the catheter within the vasculature of the patient.